You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Friday, September 8). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0. You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of the play NOT THE FILM of Real Women Have Curves. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play opens with the women coming into work the lights are off, the women fiddle with the keys to open the door, it is dark inside the factory. The women clock in and after finding out one of them had slept there, they begin work. It is a hot August day, the seventh to be exact, around 7:00 am. As the play progresses, the women find themselves in a race against time to fulfill an order, and help Estela get her papers.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The dramatic action in this play was when Ana and the rest of the women disrobe, and embrace their skin. This action puts all the women, not matter their background on a level playing field, they all embrace themselves. This also inspired Estela to finally tell Mrs.Glitz to ultimately suck the proverbial it. Estela then goes on to work towards getting her papers and starting her own fashion line.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This place and time is significant because it illustrate the plight of Latino women not only in the work place but within society. The women feel frightened when they see a van outside the factory everyday, they grow frightful that Estela will be deported and they'll be without a job. They feel unsafe due to the drug addicts and deals they have to walk past on the way to work. They feel as though they're treated a mere sex objects by the men, Estela's El Tormento goes as far to say he didn't care that she was fat that he'd still do it with her anyways. Ultimately the embracing of their nearly nude bodies inspires them to change their lives.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Estela get her papers?
Will Ana make it to NYU?
Will Rosali ever get to have a child?
Will the women prove society wrong and rise above those who seek to abuse their work like the Glitz'?
Will the women embrace their skin and become more comfortable with themselves?
5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Ana seems to be subject to the " Me vs society" obstacle. She is the victim of social norms that perceive the problems of Hispanic women as lesser than those of others, but also as a woman where society tells them they must have the perfect body. She can't be too big, she has to be super skinny, and she can express almost no sexuality, especially in the catholic religion. She also struggles with what I suppose is fate, she needs to get money so she can go to NYU, which is her ultimate goal, to become a writer.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
The most theatrical moment is the disrobing of the clothing, this grabs the audience's attention. It's highly unusual that someone is nearly naked in public. The explosion of the sewing machine also draws attention to the bad luck and the state of the factory as a whole. The very ending when the women come out in the dresses designed by Estela and the other women, is also an attention grabber, as the women were previously wearing clothing that was rather ordinary.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
One of the most important images in the play is perhaps the imagery of the set itself, it seems almost like a prison cell, or dungeon. This depiction of their living conditions goes to illustrate the constrictions they felt as Hispanic women in society. The contrast of the vivid colors of the dresses and the drab clothing that the women usually wear seems to be a testament to how far them women have worked their way up, from making the clothes that rich white people wear, to wearing the clothes they used to make. The imagery of the exploding sewing machine goes perhaps to foreshadow the stress that all the women feel whilst working at the factory, the building up of emotion and poor working conditions exploding into a moment of liberation and embracing their own skin.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
Embrace the body you came in. Don't judge a book by it's cover (El tormento). Family can be found anywhere. Breaking from the expectations of society. Pursuing you own future.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
Family in Real Women Have Curves is seen though the interactions between the women that work in the factory. They would do an awful lot for one another, even as far as giving up their paycheck so Estela can get her green card. When Rosali faints Pancha rushes to her aid. The women pester Estela to tell them about what happened on her date that was so bad.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of the play NOT THE FILM of Real Women Have Curves. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play opens with the women coming into work the lights are off, the women fiddle with the keys to open the door, it is dark inside the factory. The women clock in and after finding out one of them had slept there, they begin work. It is a hot August day, the seventh to be exact, around 7:00 am. As the play progresses, the women find themselves in a race against time to fulfill an order, and help Estela get her papers.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The dramatic action in this play was when Ana and the rest of the women disrobe, and embrace their skin. This action puts all the women, not matter their background on a level playing field, they all embrace themselves. This also inspired Estela to finally tell Mrs.Glitz to ultimately suck the proverbial it. Estela then goes on to work towards getting her papers and starting her own fashion line.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This place and time is significant because it illustrate the plight of Latino women not only in the work place but within society. The women feel frightened when they see a van outside the factory everyday, they grow frightful that Estela will be deported and they'll be without a job. They feel unsafe due to the drug addicts and deals they have to walk past on the way to work. They feel as though they're treated a mere sex objects by the men, Estela's El Tormento goes as far to say he didn't care that she was fat that he'd still do it with her anyways. Ultimately the embracing of their nearly nude bodies inspires them to change their lives.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Estela get her papers?
Will Ana make it to NYU?
Will Rosali ever get to have a child?
Will the women prove society wrong and rise above those who seek to abuse their work like the Glitz'?
Will the women embrace their skin and become more comfortable with themselves?
5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Ana seems to be subject to the " Me vs society" obstacle. She is the victim of social norms that perceive the problems of Hispanic women as lesser than those of others, but also as a woman where society tells them they must have the perfect body. She can't be too big, she has to be super skinny, and she can express almost no sexuality, especially in the catholic religion. She also struggles with what I suppose is fate, she needs to get money so she can go to NYU, which is her ultimate goal, to become a writer.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
The most theatrical moment is the disrobing of the clothing, this grabs the audience's attention. It's highly unusual that someone is nearly naked in public. The explosion of the sewing machine also draws attention to the bad luck and the state of the factory as a whole. The very ending when the women come out in the dresses designed by Estela and the other women, is also an attention grabber, as the women were previously wearing clothing that was rather ordinary.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
One of the most important images in the play is perhaps the imagery of the set itself, it seems almost like a prison cell, or dungeon. This depiction of their living conditions goes to illustrate the constrictions they felt as Hispanic women in society. The contrast of the vivid colors of the dresses and the drab clothing that the women usually wear seems to be a testament to how far them women have worked their way up, from making the clothes that rich white people wear, to wearing the clothes they used to make. The imagery of the exploding sewing machine goes perhaps to foreshadow the stress that all the women feel whilst working at the factory, the building up of emotion and poor working conditions exploding into a moment of liberation and embracing their own skin.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
Embrace the body you came in. Don't judge a book by it's cover (El tormento). Family can be found anywhere. Breaking from the expectations of society. Pursuing you own future.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
Family in Real Women Have Curves is seen though the interactions between the women that work in the factory. They would do an awful lot for one another, even as far as giving up their paycheck so Estela can get her green card. When Rosali faints Pancha rushes to her aid. The women pester Estela to tell them about what happened on her date that was so bad.